What steps is it taking to increase the support available to people suffering from dementia.

Improvingservices for those with dementia and their carers is a priority for the Scottish Government and further options for change and improvement are beingexplored through the Better Health, Better Care consultation which runsto 12 November 2007. The outcomes will complement the rangeof initiatives already underway to increase support available to those withdementia.
I have alsoappointed a Dementia Forum to inform and advise current and future attention onthis important agenda. That agenda includes; a forthcoming integrated care pathwaystandard for dementia; the funding for a partnership dementia services redesignproject through NHS Forth Valley and the Dementia Services Development Centre;attention on ensuring all new and refurnished primary care premises aredesigned to be dementia friendly; work with NHS Education for Scotland todevelop a competency based framework for mental health staff working with olderadults and grant funding over the next three years to support both AlzheimerScotland and the Dementia Services Development Centre.